Li Weiyi wanted to say that it was the Zhang family’s money, but she understood that with this man’s wolfish ambition and moral baseline, saying anything would be meaningless. So she remained silent for a while, then asked, “Liu Ying is your…”
“Biological older sister.” Xu Yi studied her expression. “However, if you don’t like her, you don’t have to meet in the future. She’s abroad and doesn’t plan to return.”
Li Weiyi looked down at the desk surface, her fingers also entangling together, rubbing randomly. Xu Yi watched her small movements.
Li Weiyi’s face slowly reddened as she said, “Xu Yi, you know that I’m quite pragmatic, very able to recognize reality, and can’t bear much grievance. If you really refuse to let me go, besides resigning myself to obedience, what else can I do? Life must go on—I can’t go learn from chaste martyrs and bash my head against a wall to prove my integrity, can I? I can’t bear that pain and suffering.”
Xu Yi didn’t speak, his gaze ambiguously fixed on her.
Li Weiyi continued, “I also admit that in the previous life, I did have feelings for you. We were together for almost a year, spending day and night together. You treated me very well, and we were very happy. It’s just that later… circumstances beyond our control. Actually, I also suffered for a long time and shed many tears over you. Now, since you want to pick up this relationship again, you need to show sincerity. Otherwise, why would I willingly be with you? Because you’re imprisoning me so comfortably?”
Xu Yi laughed, stood up, bent down, pressed one hand on the desk surface, pinched her chin with the other, and asked with a sigh, “What kind of sincerity would my sweetheart deem acceptable?”
Li Weiyi sat rigidly upright, forcibly suppressing the impulse to escape from between his fingers, and said, “First, you must promise never to force me to do anything.”
Xu Yi wore a half-smile: “When have I ever forced you? Not in the past, and there won’t be in the future. I want a lover, not an enemy.”
Li Weiyi’s heart settled slightly, and she continued, “Second… second… can you not imprison me here like a criminal? This way feels like you don’t respect me at all. Plus, there isn’t even a window here—no ventilation, it’s suffocating. I’ll be scared alone, I really can’t take it.”
She lifted her bright dark eyes to look at him.
Xu Yi released her chin, lowered his head, pressed both arms on the desk surface, and smiled to himself, saying, “Quite good at acting coquettish—already starting to feed me sweet talk? To be honest, I’m rather enjoying this feeling.”
Li Weiyi stiffened slightly. He continued, “But you’re too impatient. I pursued you painstakingly for eight years, and you never even looked at me once. Now that you know about those things I did, you’re starting to consider being with me? I’m not so bewitched by lust as to fall for this. Stop harboring delusions—there’s no possibility of letting you out in the short term. Don’t be afraid though, it’s safe here. I sleep right outside. Of course, if you wish, I can also stay here with you.”
Li Weiyi turned her wooden face aside: “Leave.”
Xu Yi was amused by her and said, “I’ll come see you again tomorrow morning.” He really did stand up and leave the room.
——
Zhang Jingchan waited about half an hour before Ding Chenmo returned, with a smile in his eyes: “My younger brother agreed. Special matter, special handling. However, whether it succeeds or fails, it has nothing to do with their police force. He doesn’t know anything from start to finish.”
Zhang Jingchan: “What do you mean?”
“He’ll send a female officer to help you search for her in the next few days.”
“A female officer?” Zhang Jingchan frowned, instantly associating this with the police force’s civilian female officers. That Xiang City Criminal Police Detachment Captain Ding Xiongwei was probably just brushing them off.
But Ding Chenmo looked at him with piercing eyes: “Don’t underestimate her—that female officer alone is worth ten men.”